Breathing Life into a Nightmare
by oholive
Summary: Jane suffers from a recurring dream regarding Casey's war injury. When clues from a recent homicide remind her of the wounded soldier, Jane's nightmare worsens and she turns to Maura to keep her personal feelings from interfering with the case.
1. Chapter 1

Being a huge Rizzoli & Isles fan, for a while I have wanted to write my own "episode". I am not quite sure how long this story will be, but I hope it gets enough love by fanfic users to develop into a full story. Comments and constructive criticism are more than welcome, as I would like to improve my writing while continuing this fic.

I have noticed that a few of the show's episode name are song titles. That being said, I decided to keep that concept when naming this story. Breathing life into a nightmare is a lyric of the song "Punching in a Dream" by the band _The Naked and Famous. _The story title is credited to them and the characters belong to Tess Gerritsen and the show's creators at TNT. Enjoy!

* * *

_Heat ripples in the air as an army truck races down a desert road. A mine explodes near the driver side window. Sgt. Major Casey Jones and four other soldiers hastily climb from the truck as the driver slams on the breaks. The car swerves. Another mine destroys the vehicle and the force of the blasts knocks soldiers off their feet. Twisted metal becomes blazing slugs. Muffled shouts turn into piercing screams._

**Jane shoots awake from her slumber. Sweat glistens on her chest and small strands of hair stick to her forehead. Her breathing is fast and heavy. She squints and glances at the alarm clock on her nightstand. She attempts to blow hair out of her face. As she runs a hand through her messy waves, she ****loosens the bits stuck to her skin. After a quick scan of the room, she sighs, falls down on her pillow, and waits for sleep to take hold.**

...

"Hi Janey," Angela says as her daughter walks into the Division One Café.

"Hi Ma," Jane stagnantly states. "Can I have a coffee?" she asks as she heads to the counter.

"Sure. I'll bring it out to you," Angela replies.

"Thanks," Jane says with a half-smile.

**Jane moves to her favorite spot and plops into a chair. She rests her elbows on the table and rubs her face. Maura appears beside her and smiles.**

"Maura!" she says, startled. "Don't DO that."

"Sorry, Jane. I'm not quite adjusted to my increased agility resulting from a new eleuthero-infused morning tea."

"Ele-whatta?" Jane asks.

"Eleuthero. It's a distant relative of panax ginseng and is known to increase mental acuity and physical endurance—

"Hear you go, Janey," Mrs. Rizzoli says sweetly as she places a mug embossed with the phrase "World's Greatest Daughter" in front of Jane.

"World's Greatest Daughter?" Jane says through her teeth.

"Can't a mother show her daughter how wonderful she is?" Angela retorts.

"With a cake or sappy birthday card, yeah, but not with something that permanently shows it to the entire precinct."

"Oh, don't be so down, Janey," Angela says as she quickly pats Jane's arm and returns to the busy café counter.

"Sometimes I wish SHE was a distant relative," jokes Jane. "And I wish she would stop with that familial lingo 'Here, Janey, don't be so down, Janey,'" she mimics.

"The correct term is ekename, actually. Nickname, in English," corrects Maura.

"Thanks for that, Doc," mocks Jane and she downs her coffee and looks at the bottom of the mug. "I'm gonna need about six more of these."

"Didn't sleep well last night?" asks Maura, even though she already knew the answer due to Jane's distinct periorbital hyperpigmentation.

"No. I had a…nightmare," she said as she releases the mug and rubs her face. "About Casey."

"Casey?" asks Maura, curiously.

"Yeah. Ever since I saw him with the leg braces and he told me about getting hit with shrapnel in Iraq, I've had the same dream almost every night. I don't even know how it happened to him. My mind just...made up a story."

"Oh Jane, I'm sorry," Maura says and gently rubs Jane's hand. "Would you like to talk about it? Perhaps some research on the primitive instinct rehearsal theory of dreaming will help you overcome this recurring nightmare."

"No, no, I'm okay, Maura. I just need a distraction," Jane says, chuckling. She was still amused by what seemed to be Maura's innate knowledge of everything.

At that moment, Jane's cell phone buzzes. "Looks like I got that distraction. We have a murder."


	2. Chapter 2

Enjoy the second (albiet short) chapter of my Rizzoli & Isles episode. I hope the story is progressing in the right direction. Comment with your thoughts!

* * *

**Two police officers stand guard outside an apartment doorway blocked by crime scene tape. Inside, investigators inspect the scene, collect evidence, and take photographs. Jane and Frost stand over the body of a man lying on his stomach. Korsak squats next to Frost, distracted by a dog. Maura, kneeling beside the victim, examines the body for foul play.**

"Victim is Steven Parris, 32. A neighbor found him this morning and called it in. He said he woke up to the dog barking and after twenty minutes of it's non-stop noise, he came over, knocked on the door twice, and then walked in when he found it unlocked. The dog was stuck in the bedroom," states Frost with a notepad and driver's license in his latex-gloved hands.

"Maybe the pup was trying to get someone's attention, seeing as he couldn't help his master," says Korsak while he strokes the wimpering pet.

"He's certainly got someone's attention now, hasn't he?" jokes Frost.

"This dog needs all the attention he can get after what happened to him today," Korsak says in baby talk to the animal.

"Maybe you can send him to a luxurious doggy hotel where he can get his nails done and eat caviar all day," chimes Jane.

"Don't be silly, Jane, dogs don't eat caviar," corrects Korsak sarcastically.

"You would know that," says Frost as he rolls his eyes and smirks. Jane chuckles.

"No epidermal or muscular penetration on the victim. No indication of an arrest of circulation…" say Maura as she furrows her brow.

"What's the bruise on the victim's lower back?" asks Jane, pointing.

"A vertebral contusion. The location of the trauma and the bruising pattern are consistent with an acute spinal cord injury."

"Could that be our cause of death?" inquires Jane.

"The cause of severe paralysis, yes, but not the cause of death."

"Our vic was paralyzed?" asks Frost, curiously. "How did that happen, exactly?"

"It could've happened in a number of ways—a fall, sports injury, automobile accident..." answers Maura.

"All it takes is a hit in the right place," Korsak adds.

"Yeah…That's all it takes," Jane whispers. She bites her lip and an image of Casey and twisted metal shrapnel flashes into her mind.


	3. Chapter 3

My apologies for the inconsistent updates and the short chapters. I write whenever I have time and creative mind. I've made a couple fixes to the last two chapters, so feel free to check those out. Please leave comments about the progression of the story. There's no point to continue the story if it's unappealing, so feedback is greatly appreciated!

* * *

**Jane sits at her desk in the Boston Police Department with her legs propped up on the table. She clicks a pen in her hand as she thinks about Casey and her new case. At the crime scene, Korsak said the same thing Casey said to her when they met at The Dirty Robber a few weeks back.**

"No luck at the crime scene for fingerprints or DNA, but CSU is still sweeping the apartment," states Korsak as he hangs up the phone at his desk. "They said they'd let us know if they found something."

"Parris didn't have a home phone and I'm not finding anything on his cell phone. He only had two incoming calls this past week—one on Monday from a telemarketer and the other on Thursday from his phone company. Both calls were unanswered. No outgoing calls, either," says Frost scanning the device. "This guy has a smart phone, but he doesn't use it for anything. No appointments or text messages, and an occasional call. It's weird."

"With the price of cell phones these days, you might as well buy a fancy one even if you don't want all the bells and whistles. You can't really find one without all that crap for any cheaper. Maybe our guy didn't like all that stuff," suggests Korsak.

"I know you're old school, Korsak, but us younger folk like all the bells and whistles," smirks Frost.

"I'm not old school. I can be just as hip as today's kids!" defends Korsak.

"Whatever you say, old man," jokes Frost as he shakes his head and laughs."

"Well we'll have to get Jane's vote on this one," pouts Korsak. "What do you think, Jane?"

**Jane, buried in thought, doesn't respond. Frost and Korsak look at each other curiously.  
**  
"Jane?" asks Korsak, bewildered.

"Yeah?" she says, moved back to reality.

"Everything okay?" Frost inquires.

"Yeah. Yeah," she says dropping her feet to the ground and scooting in her chair. "Haven't slept well. I'm fine."

"Why don't you head home and get some sleep? We don't have anything here, but we'll call you when we get something," advises Korsak.

**As she stands and grabs her blazer from the back of her chair, her phone buzzes.**

"Guess I'll have to take your advice some other time, Korsak. Maura's got something."


	4. Chapter 4

The conversation between Maura and Jane isn't over, but here's Chapter Four! Enjoy and review!

* * *

**Jane walks into the morgue while Maura stands beside the victim and takes notes on a clipboard. She looks up when she hears Jane enter.**

"Coming or going, Jane?" Maura inquires as she finishes writing and puts down her clipboard.

"What do you mean?" asks Jane, puzzled.

"You never wear your blazer in the morgue unless you just entered the building or were about to leave," says Maura.

"Leaving. I was just about to leave. Uh, whaddaya got, Maur?"

Maura smirks contently. "When I first began the autopsy I found no evidence of our victim being one of homicide."

"Stumped, Dr. Isles?" jokes Jane, surprised.

"I am a woman of science, Jane. If the science points to other means of quietus, then I follow the evidence," states a slightly insulted Maura.

"Well I am a woman of guteus and my gut tells me this guy was killed," Jane mocks.

Maura smiles and laughs, lightly. "As I was saying, at first I found no evidence, but when I observed slight inflammation between the first and second phalanges in the right foot."

The doctor walks to the victim's feet and spreads the big toe from the other four. "A needle mark in the interspace."

Jane leans towards the victim's feet and asks, "Sometimes heroin users inject between their toes, but what does that have to do with homicide?"

"The faint bubbling under the skin near the injection site suggests that the syringe was filled air when injected. The bubbling was caused by air being injected before it hit the vein. The angle of the injection indicates that our victim was unable to inject himself. His combined brachial, antebrachial, and the carpal region would require a length of at least thirty-four inches in order to do so. He is approximately four inches too short," Maura concludes.

"So our vic couldn't reach past his toes," Jane gathers. "Maura, how does shooting air into a person's bloodstream kill someone?"

"When a gas is directly injected into the bloodstream, an air embolism can occur. A sizeable gas bubble can lead to death when it reaches the heart and prevents blood flow from the right ventricle to the lungs," she rattles.

"Do embolisms happen often?" Jane asks.

"Harmless air embolisms are fairly common during surgical and medical procedures. Why do you ask?"

Jane, now more bothered by the case, says, "After his injury, Casey was almost killed by an air embolism when he was getting surgery in Iraq."


	5. Chapter 5

Here's the rest of Maura and Jane's conversation regarding the case and Casey. I'm trying to stick as close to the style of the Rizzoli & Isles episodes, but I promise some excitement will soon come. Please read and don't forget to leave a review with your thoughts!

* * *

**Maura gives Jane a sympathetic look.**

"It's the nightmare, isn't it?" asks Maura worriedly.

"Yeah. It's the nightmare," answers Jane.

**The medical examiner** **peels off her blue latex gloves and walks up to the detective. **

"What are you thinking?" Maura inquires.

"That I need sleep," Jane chuckles.

"And?" laughs Maura.

"The more I learn about this case, the more it reminds me of Casey," says Jane.

Maura places her hands on Jane's arms. "Casey's alive, Jane. Even if the science reveals the similarities between our victim and Casey, the two incidents are not the same."

"I know that Maur," says a frustrated Jane.

**She moves away from Maura and begins to pace. Jane runs a hand through her hair, then folds her arms in front of her.**

"This case…it's like it's showing me how Casey was hurt—like my nightmare is coming alive and I'm seeing what happened to him with my own eyes," admits Jane.

"You should really talk to someone about this," suggests Maura.

"I'm talking to you about it, aren't I?" jokes Jane.

Maura shakes her head and smiles. "The someone I mean is Casey."

"No primitive intellectual…whatever?" teases Jane.

Laughing lightly, Maura says, "At this point, I think speaking with Casey would be more beneficial than dream research."

"How am I supposed to bring this up to him? 'Oh hi Casey, for the past two weeks I've been having dreams about you getting shrapnel blown into your back?'"

**The medical examiner shoots the detective a look of amusement and displeasure. At that moment, Frost pops his head into the morgue to grab Jane's attention.**

"We got something, Jane," he says.


	6. Chapter 6

I apologize for the lack of action thus far (it's getting there, though). I won't be incorporating any sort of Rizzles romance into this story, but the next chapter will have something even Jane and Maura shippers should enjoy. Thanks for all the wonderful reviews! I love hearing readers' thoughts about the story, so keep 'em coming!

* * *

"CSU found a fiber at the scene," Frost informs Jane.

"Took 'em long enough," Jane retorts as she pushes the elevator's up arrow.

"You'll never guess where they found it," Frost grins.

Jane raises her brow. "Do I wanna even go there?" she jokingly probes.

Frost laughs. "Between the dog's teeth," he answers.

"Nice," Jane says with a surprised smile.

"There's also some blood on the strand. It's not a lot, but we think we got enough to get a hit in CODIS," states Frost.

"Has it been sent to the lab?" asks Jane.

"Korsak was on his way there as I was heading to the morgue," he says.

**The elevator arrives with a chime and the door opens. Frost enters first, holding the door for Jane.**

"Aside from the bruise on our victim's back, Maura didn't find any other trauma—no cuts, no blood," she says as she hits the button that leads to the homicide floor.

"That means our perp came in contact with the dog then put him in the bedroom. He probably bit the guy when he went after his master," Frost adds.

"Was any other blood found?" asks Jane.

"Nope," says Frost.

"Then it wasn't a serious bite; just enough to get a little bit of DNA. Good dog," Jane smirks. "Why not kill the dog, though?

"Maybe he thought it'd be too noisy or get the neighbors' attention. They'd more likely ignore an annoying barking dog for a while," suggests Frost.

"Not a fan of man's best friend?" Jane teases.

"Not like Korsak," chuckles Frost.

**Reaching its destination, the elevator stops and the doors open. The detectives head to their desks to reconvene with Korsak.**


	7. Chapter 7

This chapter was a particularly fun one to write, so I hope everyone enjoys reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! As usual, please leave a review with your thoughts. Thanks everyone!

* * *

**Korsak walks into the homicide unit as Frost and Jane wait at their desks.**

"Crime lab's backed up," he tells the detectives.

"Backed up?" says Jane irritably and drops her feet from her desk top.

The detective drops into his chair. "The lab got federal grant money and a government demand to cut their number of backlogged rape kits in half by this time next year. New York, Chicago, and Houston, all got the same deal. It's a national campaign," says Korsak.

"Look at you, Mr. Spokesperson," teases Frost.

"How did we not know about this?" asks a frustrated Jane.

"They got word a few days ago, but thought they had the number of cases under control. Apparently they don't," Korsak says.

"How many?" Jane inquires.

"Wouldn't tell me. You know how forensic scientists are," he jokes. Frost and Jane chuckle.

"Can't they…squeeze us in?" pleads Jane.

Korsak shakes his head. "I already asked. Tried my charm and everything," Korsak states. Frost laughs harder.

"They've already got requests from other departments. If they squeezed us in, they'd have to squeeze everyone else in too," he answers.

"How long do we have to wait?" Jane asks.

"A few days at least," says Korsak. "We got nothing else. Might as well head out."

"Yeah," says Jane. "I still need that nap."

...

"Casey…C-Casey," groans Jane.

**She reaches out and touches her friend's hand. Maura awakens when she feels Jane's hand on hers. She looks towards the woman lying next to her.**

"I love you," Jane says in an almost inaudible whisper.

"Jane," whispers Maura as she shakes the detective awake.

"Huh?" Jane mutters as she stirs from her sleep.

"I love you too," Maura smirks.

"Wha-?" a startled Jane says as she squeezes her eyes shut for a brief moment. She rapidly blinks to clear her vision and gives the doctor a questionable look.

Maura laughs. "You were talking in your sleep. You said 'I love you'. Casey, I presume?"

Jane lifts herself onto her elbows. "I had that dream again, Maura. This time I was with him. I held his hand and watched him die," she says, sorrowfully.

"This is worse than I thought, Jane," Maura states as she scoots closer to her friend.

"Yeah," Jane says as she lies back on her pillow and places both palms on her eyes.

Maura rests her weight on a stretched out arm and leans towards Jane. "When are you going to talk to him?"

"I don't know," Jane responds. "Can't you just fix me?" she pleads.

Maura chuckles. "What are you afraid of, Jane?"

"Him thinking I'm insane," Jane forcefully states.

"He won't think you're insane. He loves you and, after what you said tonight, I know you love him," Maura reassures. "He shared his secret with you and you've seen him at his most vulnerable. It's your turn."

"Thanks Dr. Phil," Jane teases. She sits up and exclaims, "And why are you sleeping on my bed again, Maura?"

"Theoretically, I was unintentionally conducting dream research," says Maura. She gracefully lies back down. "Besides, you tried to seduce me while we were sleeping," she slyly remarks.

"I did not!" shouts Jane.

"Your hand-holding says otherwise," Maura teases.

"Oh hush, you liked it," Jane amusedly states as she lies down and tucks her folded hands underneath her pillow.

"I'm not that kind of girl, Detective," Maura replies with a smile.

**Jane smiles at her friend, and the two quickly fall back asleep.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Jane wakes to her phone buzzing and early morning sun shining through the space where the curtains meet. She grabs her cell and sees Korsak's name and number on the screen.**

"Old man needs to learn how to text," she whispers. "Rizzoli."

She listens as Korsak tells her the news. "On my way," she replies.

Maura stirs as Jane rises from the bed.

"Off to work early?" asks Maura.

"Korsak got a hit from the blood on the fiber," Jane states as she grabs her toothbrush and slathers it with toothpaste.

"Well that was fast," Maura says with a stretch and a yawn.

"Yeah. He probably found an intern who was desperate to impress," she says with an amused smile, in between brushes.

"Not surprising. There are always those individuals who demonstrate of the Theory of Social Acceptance and Validation," states Maura.

**The detective hurries to the bathroom sink to spit out the waste and rinse out her mouth.**

"What, you never tried to impress a doctor with your scalpel skills when you were in med school?"Jane asks as she continues brushing.

"Of course not," Maura answers with a hint of disgust. "I was at the top of my class in medical school. I didn't need to impress when my skills were superior to my classmates."

"Well we can't all be The Magnificent and Modest Maura," mocks Jane while waving her toothbrush.

"Very funny," says Maura as she moves across the room to gather her things. "I need to spruce myself up before I go to the lab. Sleeping with you makes me feel dirty," she teases.

**Jane almost chokes on a mouth full of water.**

Maura laughs. "See you soon, Jane."

...

**Jane enters the nearly deserted homicide unit and is greeted by an anxious looking Sergeant.**

"Hi, Jane," Korsak says.

"Hey Korsak," she says as she walks to his desk. "Who's our suspect?"

**Korsak rises from his desk chair and walks over to Jane, holding a manila folder in his hand.**

"I didn't want you to find out about this over the phone," he says.

Jane furrows her brow. "What's up?" she asks, curiously.

He hands her the folder. "It's a ninety-nine percent match, Jane."

She opens the file and her eyes widen. "Oh my god. It's Casey."


	9. Chapter 9

I apologize for the long delay between updates. I've been spending a great deal of time studying for a summer course final exam and a graduate school standardized test. Here's Chapter Nine, with a subtle nod to yesterday's summer finale. Enjoy!

* * *

**Jane paces while an elbow rests on the arm folded across her chest and her fisted hand resting against her lips. Korsak and Frost watch as she moves between their desks.**

"Casey wouldn't do this," Jane says.

"I'm sorry, Jane," replies Korsak sympathetically.

"I know Casey—this can't be right. He can barely walk," she states.

"Last year a guy in a wheelchair beat his wife to death in Connecticut," says Korsak.

Jane stops and glares at the Sergeant. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Jane," Korsak says as he tilts his head.

**The detective turns on her heels and leaves the unit, slamming the door open on her way out.**

...

**Maura enters the morgue as Jane moves back and forth behind two autopsy tables.**

"I came as soon as I received your text. What's wrong, Jane?" asks Maura.

"Casey. It's Casey," Jane utters. "The blood on the fiber."

"Oh Jane," Maura sorrowfully says. She moves towards the detective and rubs her friend's back.

"I don't get it, Maur," says Jane. "Why is Casey's DNA at the crime scene?"

"I…don't know," Maura answers hesitantly.

Jane irritably moves away from the medical examiner. "You too, huh?" she scoffs.

"I beg your pardon?" questions a bewildered Maura.

"You think Casey did this," Jane shouts.

"I never said that," Maura defends.

"You didn't have to. God, you and Korsak are unbelievable," Jane frustratingly proclaims as she runs both hands through her hair and moves further away from the doctor.

Maura tries to soothe her friend. "Jane, I believe Casey is a good man. I'm not accusing him of killing someone, but the circumstance in which the evidence was recovered brings the character of Casey into question," she clarifies.

"I know how this looks, Maur. The fiber was found in a dog's mouth for God's sake. I just…can't believe that this man I've known for so long—this man I love, could do something like this."

Maura lowers her head. "I know."

Jane looks at Maura apologetically.

"Perhaps now is the time to talk to Casey," Maura suggests.


	10. Chapter 10

**Jane walks down the hallway of an apartment complex, eyes gazing at his door. She knocks as she arrives. Slow, muffled movement sounds and she holds her badge to the peep hole. The detective adjusts herself as she hears the clicking of locks. The door opens and Casey appears, holding a cane in his visible hand.**

"Jane," Casey says with a surprised grin.

"Casey," says Jane as she forces a smile.

**He moves aside to let her enter. She takes in the familiar scent of the cozy space as she crosses the threshold.**

"No clinic today?" Jane politely interrogates.

"This evening, yes. I have physical therapy on Thursday mornings. Always seem to come back in a bit of pain," Casey answers curiously while closing the door.

Jane looks at him, sadly. "I uh, see you're not using leg braces anymore. When did that happen?" she asks as she points at his cane.

"Um, a few days ago. My therapist has been trying to wean me off the crutches and leg braces for the past two weeks. He wanted me to come to this week's session with only a cane." He steps closer to Jane. "I love seeing you, Jane, but why did you come over, exactly?"

She sits herself on a couch armchair and says, "I…needed to talk to you about something."

"Okay," he says, worried about the detective. A lump forms in Jane's throat as she watches him determinedly shuffle to the couch and gently sit with an almost undetectable wince. He turns towards Jane. "What do you need to talk about?"

Jane slides onto the couch cushion next to Casey. "Do you know a Steven Parris?" she asks.

"Yeah, we were stationed together in Afghanistan. He was doing reconnaissance with me and a few other men when the bomb went off," he informs.

"When was the last time you saw him?" Jane questions.

He furrows his brow in confusion. "Two days ago...I heard he just got back to Boston," he answers. "What's wrong, Jane?"

"Parris was found dead two nights ago. His injuries were similar to those you got from the explosion, except in his case it wasn't from the bomb," she states rather roughly.

"What do you mean?" Casey asks.

"Your DNA was at the scene," Jane states with a cracked voice.

"What?" he says more baffled than ever. "Jane, you can't believe I did that.

Jane stares at the face of her lover, tears welling up in her eyes. "It doesn't look good, Case," she whispers.

**Casey turns away from Jane and slowly stands. He turns back to the now standing detective when he hears the sound of handcuffs being pulled from their holster.**

"I'm sorry," she quietly utters.

**The detective moves towards the speechless wounded soldier, carefully takes the cane and rests it against the couch. She gently grabs both of Casey's hands, places them behind his back and locks the cuffs around his wrists. A tear rolls down her cheek as she escorts him from the apartment.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Jane walks past the homicide unit's hallway window, gripping Casey's arm to guide him. She makes eye contact with a surprised Frost and Korsak, but quickly looks away from the detectives. As she enters the unit, her partner and the Sergeant stand to assist her.**

"Can you take him to interrogation, please?" she asks a passing officer.

**The cop nods, taking Casey from Jane. The soldier clenches his jaw and glances at Frost and Korsak before leaving. Jane gives a word of thanks and walks to her desk. ****The Sergeant and her partner exchange looks but remain silent as they watch Jane flip through the crime lab results and gather the necessary paperwork for the interrogation. She does a double-take when she notices the detectives staring at her.**

"And to think I thought men only stared at a women's tits," Jane haphazardly jokes.

The two detectives shift uncomfortably. Frost clears his throat. "You should've had me go with you," Frost says.

"Or at least told us what you were up to," adds Korsak.

Jane rubs her eyelids with her thumb and forefinger and pinches the bridge of her nose with her free hand. "I needed to do this myself. I needed to talk to him alone," Jane clarifies.

"What if something happened to you, Jane?" Korsak paternally inquires.

"It's Casey—"

"No one would've been able to help you like Hoyt," he says, interrupting Jane.

"Don't you DARE compare him to Hoyt," Jane angrily says as she points a finger of her file filled hand at Korsak. "He is NOTHING like Hoyt." She grabs clipped papers from her desk and turns away from the detectives.

"Does nothing but piss me off today," Jane shouts as she treads to interrogation.

**Moments later, Jane arrives outside of the interrogation room and grabs the door handle with a heavy sigh.**

"Jane," Frost says, following the detective's path.

"Won't let me out of your sight, will you Frost?" she smirks.

He smiles uncomfortably. "I'm sorry. About what happened back there."

"It's fine, Frost," Jane says, turning the door handle of the interrogation room.

"No it's not," Frost says. "I know this case is personal for you and you're trying to handle it in your own way. As your partner, I want to be there for you and help you any way I can."

"Thank you," she responds as she attempts to enter interrogation again.

"And Korsak," Frost says, halting her once again. Jane's hand drops to her side.

"He's just trying to help. We've been talking about the situation since he told me the DNA results. He doesn't want you getting hurt, especially after what happened with Maura."

Jane lowers her head and nods. "I know," she says.

Frost smiles and looks towards the interrogation room door. "Let me know how it goes?" he asks.

"Sure," Jane replies.


	12. Chapter 12

**Jane enters the interrogation room and plops the paperwork on the table. She grabs a stainless steel chair and sits. Casey is seated across from her, cuffed hands resting on the tabletop.**

"Can you please take the handcuffs off me?" Casey politely asks.

**Jane reaches into her handcuff case, pulling out the key. She hesitates, then carefully grabs the metal around his wrists and unlocks the cuffs. She puts the key away, rests both hands on the table and places her folded hands to her mouth as she gathers her thoughts.**

"Where were you Tuesday night?" Jane interrogates.

"I was at home. Alone," Casey replies.

**Heart pounding, the detective shuffles through the papers in front of her and pulls out autopsy photos of the victim.**

"You see the bruise on the victim's back?" Jane says, sliding a picture across the table towards Casey. "He was paralyzed before he died. Isn't this the same area you were hit with shrapnel?" the detective inquires.

"Yes," he answers.

"And this," Jane says as she pushes a picture of the victim's feet in front of him. "This is what killed him—an air bubble injected through a needle. Didn't you suffer from minor embolisms when you were in surgery in Afghanistan?"

Casey tightens his jaw. "…Yeah."

"Why did you kill Steven Parris?" questions Jane.

"I didn't kill him," Casey says.

"Then why was your DNA at his apartment?" Decided to pay him a visit when you found out he was back in Boston?" Jane says, slightly raising her voice.

"No," he responds irritably. "I didn't even know he was back until a friend told me."

"Friend's name?" she asks.

"Greg Wasek. He was part of the reconnaissance team."

"How did he know Parris was in town?"

"I don't know. I saw him speaking to Parris at the clinic on Tuesday, but he told me about Parris' return on Monday night," Casey explains.

"Do you know why Parris was at the clinic?" Jane asks, curiously.

"No, I didn't get a chance to speak with him."

"Why was Wasek at the clinic?"

"Greg lost his leg in the explosion. Since he came back from Afghanistan he's been coming to the clinic to deal with his condition, but it hasn't been going well. I've been spending a lot of time with him to help him adjust. He told me about Parris when we were at his place watching the Sox game," Casey says, softly smiling at Jane.

Jane bears a slight grin and gathers her papers. She pushes her chair from the table and stands. "Do you have anything else you'd like to share?"

**Casey remains silent, locking eyes with Jane. She looks at him for a moment then walks towards the door.**

"I hope you believe me, Jane" Casey says as the detective reaches for the door's handle.

**Jane pauses then leaves the interrogation room without looking back.**


	13. Chapter 13

"You handled the interrogation very well, Jane," Maura says while she sits on her couch and clutches a glass of red wine.

"Yeah, when my heart wasn't pounding in my ears or about to explode through my chest," Jane responds, sitting next to Maura and rubbing the rim of her beer as she rests the bottle on her leg. Maura beams.

"What?" asks Jane as she gives Maura a double-take and downs her final swig of beer.

"Love," the doctor states.

"Now's not the time, Maura," Jane jests.

Maura gives Jane an amused reproachful look. She places her hand on the detective's chest and Jane's face exhibits a look of terror and confusion. "At rest, the average human heart beats eighty times per minute. When neurotransmitters release high levels of norepinephrine into an individual's body, his or her heart beat can increase to over one-hundred beats per minute. You will then be able to feel a person's pulse in their chest, rather than the carotid, radial, or femoral arties. It's the science behind love, Jane—when you see, hear, or speak about someone you love. You're in love, Jane. You said it yourself."

Jane lowers her gaze and Maura removes her hand. The detective rises from the couch to grab another beer. "I said I love him, but I never said I was in love with him. Besides, I'm not so sure anymore."

The detective pops off the beer top and leans her hands on the counter. "God," she says as she pushes her weight against her hands.

Maura rises from her seat and walks up to her friend. "I'd like to hug you, Jane," she asserts.

**Jane stares at her, unresponsive. Maura places her glass on the counter and wraps her arms around the detective's chest. Jane stiffens, but slowly hugs back. Maura smiles and Jane sighs as she relaxes in the doctor's arms. **

"Casey mentioned baseball during the interrogation," Jane states.

Maura breaks the embrace. "That's odd."

"He said he was watching the Sox game with a friend of his when he heard about Parris being back in town." Jane smirks. "I got him into baseball. Especially the Red Sox." Maura smiles.

Suddenly, Jane's smirk transforms into a furrowed brow. Maura notices and her smile dissipates. "What's wrong?" she asks.

"I just thought of something," Jane says. "I've gotta get to the station." She gently squeezes Maura's arm, grabs her jacket from an armchair, and rushes out the door. She pops her head back into the house and says, "I'm still not a hugger."

**A confused Maura grins as she hears the door softly close behind Jane.**


	14. Chapter 14

**Casey sits on a cot and stars out a barred window veiled in silver moonlight. He turns his head towards the sound of approaching heels and jingling keys. Jane stands beside an officer unlocking Casey's cell. She quietly supplies a word of thanks as the cop turns to leave. Jane squeaks the door open then clicks it shut behind her.**

She places a hand on her hip and stares at Casey. "When did you start watching baseball with friends?"

Casey smirks and looks back out the window. "When my friends started watching baseball," he answers.

Jane sits next to Casey. "Since when did you have friends who liked baseball?"

"Since I started a league at the clinic," Casey replies, turning his head towards the detective.

"Wasek one of those friends?" inquires Jane.

Casey looks at Jane curiously. "Wasek got into baseball when he joined our team a few weeks after he got back from Afghanistan."

"When was the last time you guys played?" asks Jane.

"Tuesday evening," Casey states. "We had a game."

"What time did it end?" Jane questions.

"A little after eight. Greg helped me clean up a bit."

"What time did Mr. Wasek leave the clinic?" interrogates the detective.

Casey shakes his head. "I don't know. He disappeared while I finishing cleaning up outside."

"Was anyone else at the clinic after the game?"

"Not that I know of. I'm usually the last to leave."

Jane rises from the cot and pulls out her phone. "Do you keep all of your baseball gear at the clinic?"

Puzzled, Casey says, "We have a closet in the common area. All of our sports equipment is stored there."

Jane quickly dials a number and holds her phone to her ear as she waits for her partner to pick up. "Frost," she says when he answers. "I need a team at the Vet Clinic in a half-hour…Okay. See you there."

Casey quizzically watches the detective as she pockets her phone. "What do you think's going on?"

"I think you're being set up," she states.


	15. Chapter 15

**Jane enters the clinic and flips on the lights as Frost and Korsak shuffle through the entryway. She steps further into the fluorescently-lit space and scans the area. Her eyes lock on the metallic cabinet resting against the room's opposing wall.**

"Make sure you leave everything exactly the way you found it. Sgt. Major Jones is the only person who knows we're here and we don't want anyone else to find out," she directs the team as the three remaining officers and a CSU technician file in.

Korsak walks up to Jane and quietly asks, "You sure you know what you're doing, Jane?"

She stares at the Sergeant with gritted teeth. "Everyone takes a connecting room," Jane loudly proclaims in Korsak's face. "Look for any clinic records like sign-in sheets and time stamps to help us find our killer." The officers slowly move to their chosen room and Jane directs her attention to Frost as he moves towards an empty room. "Frost, you'll be with me in here," she says as she walks away from a hurt Korsak.

**Sergeant Korsak glances at the two detectives and heads to the nearest unoccupied room.**

"That was cold," Frost says.

"Yeah, well, I need someone who doesn't think I'm nuts," she states. "Besides, you're my partner."

Frost slightly smirks. "So why are we here, Jane?"

**She moves towards the large metal case and opens the doors to reveal a rack of bats, a stack of bases, orange traffic cones, and buckets and bags of various sports' balls.**

"There," she says, pointing at the empty slot in the rack. "There's marks where the wooden bat rubs against the plastic. One of them is missing."

Frost raises his eyebrows is disbelief. "Maybe one of them broke," he casually asserts.

Jane takes a baseball from the metal wire basket and tosses it to Frost after a gentle squeeze. "Not from one of those," she smugly remarks.

Bewildered, Frost plays with the ball hoping to find what Jane saw.

She watches her partner and chuckles. "Feel how light the ball is?"

Frost tosses the ball a few inches. "Not really."

"That's because you don't play," Jane says, taking the ball from Frost.

"Pro baseballs are made of a cork and rubber center. This is just cork, but it has a bigger core to make it almost as dense as an MLB ball. It's not strong enough to break a wooden bat. It's a soft-core ball. If you played as much as I do, you'd know," teases Jane.

"Wow," Frost declares. "I underestimated your baseball nerdiness."

"Baseball is America's pastime. It's not nerdiness, it's history. Rude," she jokes as she picks up a bat.

"Please don't hit me, Jane. Your words were enough," he teases.

**Jane genuinely laughs for the first time in days. Frost always had a knack for cheering her up.**

"Detectives," calls an officer as he enters the room. "I think you should see this."


	16. Chapter 16

"I found some encrypted videos in the system's temporary files. I've seen the coding used for security camera footage at an advanced technology corporation I worked at when I was a security guard. It could be the same here," the cop states, turning his head to the computer screen and the CSU technician typing behind it.

"I don't remember seeing cameras anywhere," Jane says. Frost and Korsak quietly enter the room and click the door labeled 'Sgt. Major Casey Jones' shut behind them.

"They're probably hidden. A lot of companies are switching to hidden cameras to get a truer sense of customers and employees. Visible ones really weren't preventing misconduct, the trouble just occurred out of the camera's range," the technician informs the detectives as he clicks away on the computer's keyboard.

The computer buzzes. "I can't seem to decode this," says the frustrated technician.

"Let me give it a shot," calls Frost, moving towards the monitor. The tech moves from his chair and stands next to the police officer while Frost takes his seat and sizes up the coding.

Frost clicks around with the mouse. "Where'd you find this?" Frost asks.

"Mixed in with the temporary files," the officer replies.

"Smart," Frost affirms. "No one looks for anything there. Temporary files change so often on computers." He moves to the keyboard and begins to type. "This coding definitely is advanced, so I'm not really sure why a clinic would be using it."

"If it's protecting security camera footage, it has something to do with the people on them. Some of the guys here were POWs and they were recorded while they were held. How do you think they'd feel if they knew they were being taped here?" Jane rhetorically inquires.

"But why encrypt them?" Korsak chimes.

"I don't know. Maybe someone wanted them protected in case someone else found them," she states plainly.

"Got it," announces Frost. A collection of same-setting videos appears on screen.

"Well these are definitely from the clinic. And definitely from security cams." he says.

"There's gotta be hundreds here. Can you search for anything from Tuesday?"

Frost clicks a few keys. "There."

"Can you fast-forward that video?"

**He clicks video ticker and slowly drags it along the timeline.**

"That's Parris. Stop there and play it," Jane commands.

**The room watches as the video buzzes to life.**

"Who's that talking to him?" asks Korsak.

"Wasek I bet." Jane says.

"Who?" Korsak questions.

"The guy who murdered Parris," says Jane. "Our vic looks nervous talking to him."

"PTSD? Maybe seeing some fellow soldiers brought back some bad memories," Korsak presumes.

"Maybe just seeing Wasek. They were in the same unit in Afghanistan. Something's going on," she concludes.

"I don't know, Jane. That video doesn't tell us much. It certainly doesn't connect Wasek to Parris' murder," addresses Korsak.

Fuming, Jane asks, "Detective, can I talk to you outside?"

Korsak glances at an expressionless Frost and leaves the room. Jane casually follows.

"Outside," she asserts when she notices her former partner settle in the room she and her partner previously occupied.

**Korsak obliges and leads the detective into the cool night air.**

"You've been up my ass this entire case. Frost convinced me you're just trying to protect me, but it's more than that. What's up with you?" Jane angrily asks as she defensively moves her hands to her hips.

"Jane, ever since Hoyt I told myself I wouldn't let another case get to you like it did. It killed me to see you like that. I know what this case is doing to you because of your relationship with Casey, but you can't make evidence fit someone else," he says.

Jane swallows hard. "I'm not making this up, Korsak. I know Casey's innocent."

Korsak sighs. "Fine, Jane. You're off the case."


	17. Chapter 17

**Jane jumps from her couch, waking to the sound of a knock on her door. Her feet narrowly miss the coffee table and the two beer bottles that nursed her to sleep. She groans, rubs her eyes, and runs a hand through her hair before she looks through the peephole and unlocks the door chain.**

"Good morning, Jane," Maura says as she invites herself into Jane's apartment.

"Maura, what are you doing here?" Jane groans.

"I wanted to talk to you about the case," answers Maura, pleased.

"I'm off the case, Maur," Jane says as she begins to rub her forehead.

"Oh I know," she says. "Everyone at the department knows."

"WHAT?" exclaims Jane.

Maura moves to Jane's couch, places her bag on a cushion and grabs Jane's empty bottles. "Korsak's been upset all morning and a few officers were aware of your tension with him lately. Your absence was noticed fairly quickly and they figured out what happened. You should probably call your mother, though."

Maura places the bottles in the recycle bin and begins tidying a countertop as Jane grabs her phone and plops on the couch. Her eyes widen as screen comes to life, "Six calls from my mother?" Jane says, astounded.

"I'm glad I didn't call," teases Maura.

Jane tosses her phone on a cushion and lies on the couch. She sighs and Maura walk walks over, perching on the couch arm.

"I'd think Korsak would know that your inherent inclination is wrong less often than the average human's," Maura says, trying to comfort the detective.

"Yeah, well, I haven't been wrong about a case in a long time so it was bound to happen," Jane bitterly states as she shifts her weight.

"I don't think you're wrong, Jane," Maura concludes.

"Even you can be wrong, Dr. Isles," Jane jokes.

Maura laughs. "Well I took it upon myself to look at the fiber found in the victim's apartment, seeing as that's the only invariable piece of evidence we have."

"And what could it have possibly told you?" Jane sarcastically asks while she rubs her eyes.

"From looking at the chemical composition of the fiber, I was able to determine that it was made of a polyester and rayon blend," Maura states.

"So not cotton," mocks Jane.

"Cotton is a natural fiber. Polyester is made from plastic polymers and rayon is a combination of recycled plastics and plant cellulose," Maura rattles."

Jane raises her eyebrows. "Our military is wearing uniforms made of old milk bottles and plastic bags?"

"What composes those objects, yes. However, the construction is fairly new."

"Casey's a Sgt. Major, Maura, how does that help?" Jane inquires.

Maura smirks, "The only branch of the military where these uniforms have been distributed is to the Army Privates."


	18. Chapter 18

I tried to make this chapter longer, but I thought this bit ended appropriately. Jane's thoughts make more of an appearance, so I hope you enjoy!

* * *

"Could you drive any slower?" Jane asks Maura blatantly sarcastic.

Maura smiles softly. "You could walk."

Jane crosses her arms and looks out the passenger window with a huff. "Could've been there by now if I was driving."

"You're suspended from your work so you shouldn't be driving to work," informs Maura.

"Thank you, Captain Obvious," Jane retorts.

Maura laughs deeply and Jane watches her, eyebrows raised.

"That's funny because Captain is a rank in the U.S. military and American law enforcement, as well as the title of the officer whom authorized your suspension," says Maura after a hearty giggle.

"Your brain never ceases to amaze me," Jane mocks.

**They arrive at the station, with Jane gazing out the window and deep in thought. As Maura pull up to her parking space, she notices a man pulling buns and bread from a car trunk behind her. **

"Who's that in your parking space?" Maura inquires.

Jane quickly turns her head to the rear window. "Stanley," she growls as she rushes from the car.

"Stanley, why are you in my parking space?" Jane grills.

"Aren't you suspended, Rizzoli?" asks Stanley with a smirk.

"None of your damn business, Stanley, get out of my spot," Jane demands.

"Was your spot," Stanley replies. "You cost the department too much with your car getting towed all the time. Now that you're suspended, they were finally able to give your spot away," he smugly concludes.

"Which is great for me, seeing as this week we sold twice our orders of sandwiches and toast. At least one Rizzoli's good for something. When you get back here, you can take my space in back. If you come back," he says with a hoot as he slams his trunk.

"This IS a nightmare," Jane pouts.

"Well, you'll no longer be suspended after we share my find with Lt. Cavanaugh," chimes Maura.

...

**Jane pushes through the doors of the homicide unit and breezes past Frost and Korsak's empty desks as hers and Maura's heels sound with syncopated clicks. She grabs the door handle to the Lieutenant's office and is only stopped from bursting in by Maura's light knock on the door.**

"Open," a muffled voice calls.

"I should go in alone, Jane. I'm not sure how Cavanaugh would feel if you were in the room. You shouldn't have been the first person I told," Maura says.

Jane releases her hand from the doorknob. "Okay," she quietly states.

Maura opens the door and walks inside, her greeting barely audible to Jane. The detective walks to her desk and rustles through a stack of messy papers.

"Jane," Korsak says, startled.

She looks at the steam drifting from mug of hot coffee in his hand. Jane half-heartedly hopes her mother didn't pour him that cup.

"I just came to pick something up," she coolly lies.

Frost enters and his expression turns to hesitation. "Hi Jane," he says.

"Hey Frost," keeping her eyes on the papers in her hands.

Frost holds down his tie and eases into his desk, glancing at Korsak as he sits.

Maura appears from the Lieutenant's office and she politely greets Korsak and Frost.

"Cavanaugh would like to speak with you," she tells Jane.

**Jane looks towards the Lieutenant's office and drops her papers back on her desk. As she walks towards his door, her heels echo as if Maura has followed. She wished she had gone in with her friend—under these circumstances she feared facing Cavanaugh alone. If science didn't convince the instinctual Lieutenant, the case may have cost Jane her badge. **


	19. Chapter 19

I apologize for taking so long to update-around this time of year I get pretty busy with all sorts of work. This chapter isn't very long, but I think it's a good one. I hope I soon get more time to devote to writing so I can give you guys longer chapters. Enjoy!

* * *

"You're lucky to have a friend like Isles," Cavanaugh says as he stands by his desk with his hands in his pockets.

"I know," Jane humbly replies while she clicks the door closed behind her.

Cavanaugh sighs and sits. "You're a good detective, Rizzoli. One of my best and you know that," he states. "But this case ain't good."

**Jane swallows and tightly nods.**

"Having a detective on my team who's involved with the suspect don't look good. Not to mention searching a clinic because of a hunch," he says.

"We found a tape that makes Wasek a pretty good suspect," Jane adds.

"We both know that's circumstantial. And we know you've had a hard time believing Casey isn't innocent," Cavanaugh corrects.

**Jane crosses her arms across her chest and cocks her head.**

"Dr. Isles is the best in the business, so I trust her. We have to walk on eggshells to make sure she's right, though. We can't let this case can't get anymore messy," says the Lieutenant.

He sits back in his chair and momentarily stares at a drawer on the right side of his desk. "Here's what I'm gonna do," he says as he opens the drawer. "I'm gonna have a couple of blues sit on Wasek for a few days—see if he's up to anything. Something that's cheap and we can keep quiet since we don't have any probable cause."

**He pulls out Rizzoli's badge and gun and scoots them across his desk.**

Jane looks at her Lieutenant, and grabs her gear. "Thank you," she utters as she clips her gun and badge onto her belt. "What about Casey?"

"He'll have to sit tight. Like I said, we gotta make sure what we got is solid. There are a hundred different ways his blood could've gotten on that fiber and we aren't about to check out all of those possibilities. The best thing we can do check out to Wasek to see if he can eliminate anything," he states.

"With all due respect, Lieutenant, do you think Casey wore this guy's pants to kill Parris?" she asks rather starkly.

"You're out of line Rizzoli," Cavanaugh asserts.

"Maybe you shouldn't be so quick to think Casey's the guilty one," she declares as she stands and points at the Lieutenant.

Cavanaugh raises his voice. "You're not on the case, Jane. Don't make me regret giving you back your badge."

**Jane raises her eyebrows. She unclips her gun from its holster and her badge from her belt, tossing them back onto the Lieutenant's desk.**


	20. Chapter 20

**Jane sits in her car outside of the Veteran's clinic. Her hand gently strokes her lips as she ponders her next move. She suddenly unbuckles her seat belt, opens her car door, and rises from her seat. Her heels click on the pavement as she nears the clinic entrance. As she enters the center, she politely signs in and peels a visitor label from the finger of the receptionist.**

"Heeeeeeeeey Rizzoliiiiiiiii," a camo clad man shouts.

**Jane looks for the source of the noise and finds one of Casey's old college and army pals.**

"Hey Mike," Jane replies with a smile as he walks over and gives her a brutish hug.

"Here for Parris, Detective?" he asks.

"I'm not working his case," she clarifies as she reveals her empty belt. "At least until Casey's cleared as a suspect. I just wanted to help him get some closure. It's been hard for him," she adds, trying to discover just how much he knew about Casey's involvement in the case.

"Yeah," Mike says with a furrowed brow. "We heard about his leave of absence. It must be hard. They seemed to be pretty good friends in Afghanistan."

"So you knew Steven, too?" she asks.

"Yeah. I was deployed with them, but I was part of an infantry squad. A tank man. I was sent home when tanks started being pulled out. I got back about a month before Casey. He was the first one back after the explosion. They gotta save the higher guys," he narrates.

"Do you know anyone else who was a part of Casey's team? Anyone I can talk to about Casey about Casey's situation?" Jane requests.

Mike lowers his head. "Two of the five guys were killed when the bomb went off. Aside from Casey, the only one left is Greg Wasek. I'm not sure if he'll talk, though. He seemed to rub Parris the wrong way."

"Why do you say that," Jane asks almost too curiously.

"Well," the soldier says as he cocks his head and rubs his neck. "Wasek seemed to be pretty pissed with Parris since he lost his leg in the explosion. Parris was the tech in charge of locating mine positions, but it's a tough job—they could be anywhere."

Jane nods. "Do you know if Wasek comes to the clinic? I'd like to speak to him sometime."

"I've seen him here before. I'm not sure when it was, though. Sorry, Jane," he adds.

"Thanks, Mike. I'll see you around," she says as she moves toward the door.

"Give Casey my best," he replies.

**Jane smiles and turns to leave. As she nears the corner of the reception desk, she sees a young girl in place of the receptionist who checked her in. She pulls off her visitor sticker and approaches the desk.**

"Hi, I'm Detective Jane Rizzoli. I'm investigating the death of a former patient here, Steven Parris. The last receptionist told me to ask if I had any questions or needed any help. Would you be able to give me the address of a Greg Wasek?" Jane asks excessively polite.

**The receptionist pulls the sign-in sheet from the counter and checks for Jane's name. Satisfied, she places the clipboard in its place and turns towards the detective.**

"Why do you need his address?" she asks coolly.

"I can't disclose that information. But as soon as I get it I'll be out of your hair," smoothes Jane.

**The girl scoots from her chair and clicks open the file cabinet behind her. She searches through the patient files and hesitantly tugs a manila folder from its slot.**

"I'm sorry, I have to make sure I'm allowed to do this. One sec," she says as she tucks the file under a few papers on her desk and leaves her booth.

**Jane nods and pulls her cell phone from her pocket. She waits until the girl is out sight and flips open the folder from the protruding tab labeled "Wasek, Greg". She snaps a picture of the information that follows and quickly slides it back to its untouched position. She pretends to text as the girl appears with a half-hearted smile.**

"Unless you have a warrant, I can't help you Detective. I'm sorry," the girl replies.

Jane fakes a frowns. "I understand. Thank you for your time," she says as she heads out the door.


	21. Chapter 21

Hello, readers! Long time no see. Sorry for the terribly long delay between updates. Here's a short post until my finals are finished and I make some headway on my graduate school applications. Enjoy!

* * *

"Mr. Wasek?" Jane inquires as she knocks on the soldier's apartment door. She waits a moment before she raps again. "Greg, my name is Jane. Jane Rizzoli. I'm a friend of Casey's….I'm a detective for the Boston Police Department."

She knocks louder and raises her voice. "Mr. Wasek?"

**Jane grasps the brass doorknob and turns in roughly, not expecting the door to give way. Hinges squeak as the door slides from its lock. The detective instinctively reaches for the gun on her buckle, but finds only empty space. She gently presses against the painted wood and pushes the door open, preparing for whatever she may find…**

**Jane finds herself staring at a tidy living room. She enters and quietly closes the front door. A built-in bookshelf with its perfectly placed contents separates the living area from the kitchen. Jane moves past the living room and into the bedroom. The bed and dressers feature the same military tidiness as the living room. She spots the alarm clock on the nightstand as her eyes scan the strict folds of the bed sheets. 14:23 PM. Military time. Wasek's cop watch won't be out for another few hours.**

**She leaves the bedroom and moves towards the kitchen. Old mail piles the counter and beer bottles sit in the sink. The soldier's neatness clearly didn't carry to the kitchen. Jane walks to the fridge and sees a photo of a group of soldiers dressed in their army garb. She pulls baby blue rubber gloves from her pocket, stretches them over her fingers, and carefully pulls the picture from the magnet. The imprint of a pen can be seen through the light desert background. She flips over the photo. "RECON 201" is scratched in black ink, followed by SGM Casey Jones, SPC Steven Parris, CPL Edmund Sampson, PVT Greg Wasek, and PVT Jim Kowalski. She turns the photo back over. Kowalski and Sampson must've been the two guys who died during the explosion. She sees Casey's smiling face amongst the men laughing and holding Budweisers in their hands. She couldn't help but smile herself.**

Jane places the picture back in its place and scans the kitchen. "Where the hell are you, Wasek?" she says to herself.

**She looks at the bottles in the sink. Budweiser, just like the photo, and Casey's favorite. She walks over and grabs one, wet, cold, and half full.  
**  
"He really must've been in a hurry," she jokes.

**Jane places the bottle back in the sink, gently tapping the one lying down beside it. Beer spills out as the bottle rolls and Jane furrows her brow. She grabs the tipped bottle by its lip, feeling its condensation and coolness through the latex. Jane grabs a napkin, lays it flat against the bottle's bottom, and watches drops streak down the amber glass. She looks at the ring left behind and places the bottle back in the sink.**

**Jane moves into the living room, napkin in hand and adjusts the blinds. She squats, level with the small wooden table, and finds two rings in opposite corners dark against the dry wood. She places the napkin next to each ring. Perfect match.**

"Someone else was here," she whispers.

Her phone buzzes, catching her by surprise. She pulls it from her pocket and fumbles with the buttons in her rubber gloved hands. "Yeah Frost?" she answers.

He sighs. "Jane, we've got a problem."


End file.
